, 1887-06-22
G%ARIDALDrS LETTER.
WHY MR.. moRosINI PRIZES 1T ABOVE
HIS ART TREASURES.

80 - .'1N |ANAA N-N -
md about q mile west of Kingsbridge, Is
ElmlIurst, the residence of Giovanni P.
MOrosini. Surrounded on three sides 10y
gently sloping lawns, tho house itself
stands upon IN eminence TINT ovcrlooks
many miles Of the most picturesque terri
tory in tho state. There nrc thirty-three
acres in Mr.. Morosini's domain, n large
part Of 1t being In woodland. The gar
dens, orchards and Strawberries give evil
denco OF taste md careful cultivation.
Living In this beautiful and secluded spot,
the wealthy owner has devoted the leisure
of many years to the collection Of curiosi-
ties from almost every clime under the
Sun. Hardly o month passes that he docs
not [ to his already enormous accumu-
Luton of curios, md he has already *
pended n fortune in gratifying this passion
for the antique. Few persons in this city,
even among his acqunintances, have
known Of this peculiar trait of character
in the Wall street operator and partner Of
Mr.. Gould, and still fewer Gro aware thai
tie tranquil looking mansion on the banks
of tho Hudson II n reritable arsenal with
In, and holds treasures probably rarer and
CT greater value than aro to be found In
any private collection of nrm3 in this
country.
A reporter who enjoyed tho privilege
OF % private view of this collection found
- l"AAN SNAS- $500 a. "a I'LL
tiquc Grmo=. In the main hall tho visitor
Is confronted on either sid by silent forms
that recall tho collection In tho Tower of
London. Tall knights In full panoply,
surmounted by noddins plumes, arc
ranged in long lines.
II LAIN COLLECTION.
-Four largo rooms are devoted to tho
main collection, which Is n surprising one
both IN extent and variety. One room
presents tho appearance OF an arsenal.
By the window are two brass cannon, sur
rounded by dragons heads at the muzzle.
These were taken, by q British war ship
from c Chinese pirate. Alongside are two
smaller pieces OF ordnance that did Ger
vico IN the German wars ut tho time OF
Gustavus Adolphus. Ranged along the
walls and in the center of tho room ere
large cabinets containing q mass Of
weapons sufficient to equip q full regi-
ment. Guns, smooth and riled, of every
conceivable pattern. from the beautifully
decorated and inlaid weapon of the Moor
to the modern repeating rifle; Tartar
guns, with ezquisitely wrought silver or
nnments, some with barrels of shining
silver, and others of copper; wonderful
Arab guns with long and deadly looking
barrels, that recall the old time Kentucky
rifle; blunderbusses and odd looking fire
arm from the East; Dutch, German,
Austrian md Russian guns, and q score
or more Of the venerable flint lock mus
ket5 that were the immediate predecessors
of those used In Revolutionary days.
There are, too, nrquebuses and ugly look
ing pistols of Cromwell's time, with
match loci; and wheel, looking ut which
the observer no longer wonders Mt the in
junction of the stern old protector to his
soldiers rs to keeping their powder dry.
In the same room are n number Of
swords of rare workmanship and value.
Bright cleaning blades from Toledo. with
hilt5 Of gold or silver, and scabbards that
show the highest skill OF the metal work
er's nrt; swords Of Damascus steel, with
delicately inlaid md %curiously formed
hits; keen curved blades that have doubt
less been worn by some Chinese prince or
japanese Gaimio; long, dangerous looking
rapierS OF Venetian make. that a prob
ably spitted many q victim; the Scottish
claymorc, the jeweled cimetcr of tho
rajah, tho scarcely less decorated weapon
Of tho Circassian, and tho heavy cavalry
swords OF the German md Austrian cav
Glryman. TIE japanese and Chinese
swords arc q study il themselves. One Of
the most remarkable pieces IN tho collGc.
ton IS q ponderouS two edged sword
seven feet long that was said to have been
used in the Spanish tnquisition. 1t pre-
sents n remarkable contrast to the light
and elegant court swords worn by Euro
pean otlccrJ OF high rank, Of which there
IRE O number il tho collection. Near tao
latter arc tho rsGe native weapons of the
cannibal tribc1 Of New Caledonia, tho
French penal colory-circulcr axes Of
flint with long heavy handles, end great
clubs with wicked looking sharp Knobs all
over them, and doubtless effective as
missionary persunders."
ETTER FROM oARIDALDI.
"There," said Mr.. Morosini, pointing to
an adjoining nook, ''these IRE thigh bones
OF victims that those cannibal fellows
off them. And up there, that round look
Ing affair Ike q corn-cob is all covered
with human teeth"
In q large squar room Is m assortment
OF musical and striking watches, every
one of which is n marvel Of mechanical
skill and ingenuity. In q large case Is q
specimen OF the finest art of which the
famous silversmiths OF India arc capable
n huge galley, or gondola, from Calcutta.
1t Is of silver throughout, and the exquis-
lite tracery of the flliSrce work shows that
its construction must have been the labor
of almost n lifetime.
"Tha cross of the first consul" said
MI. Morosini, sis very rare. Here ia
something, however, that l value still
more highly. 1t Is the culors of the army
OF France-a mere scrap, you see, and all
sewed and patched together. Rather
than surrender these colors the French
soldiers tore them into fragments, and
every man took n piece and hid it away"
But wish you to see, before you 60,
what l value most of ALL" said EIr. Moro
SIM. lie produced n worn and faded let
ter, written on paper manufactured in
London and dated in 1859.
caro- Nanni, " read the reporter. "Who
is Nanni, Mr.. Morosinii ?"
That is 1; he used to call mo Nanni.
It's just like dear jack, you know"
The letter was from Giuseppe Garibaldi,
the italian liberator, and thanked his COM
patriot, "Nanni" Morosini, for the services
he had rendered the writer, and expressed
n fear that he would never be able to re-
pay them as they deserved. The letter
was written in the caressing tone familiar
in Italian correspondence, and showed the
warm friendship that existed between the
two.
He had the face ard the heart Of n
lion, - said Mr.. Morosini, his eyes wet and
G%listcning rs lie spoke. ''IIc was my dear
friend, and l loved him. New York
World.